In addition to acting as co-host of the 2018 men’s world championships (Sept. 9-30) and prepping its women’s team for the world championships in Japan (Sept. 29 – Oct. 20), the Italian national teams have a busy slate ahead.
The teams also will make their debuts in the newly minted Volleyball Nation’s League, but first each side will play a handful of friendly matches as a warmup.
On the men’s side, The Blues will make their debut on May 18 in a contest against Australia in Calabria and will face the Aussies again the following day in Catania. It is then on to Nation’s League play, where the Italians will face Argentina, Iran and Canada in Pool 7, June 1-3. Next up, in August, the team will take on the Netherlands in friendlies, August 3-4, and the Czech Republic, August 21-22, with all four matches slated to be played in Cavalese.
The men will play two more tune-up matches against China, Sept. 2 and 6 at a to-be-announced location, before beginning World Championships play.
On the women’s side, action begins May 6-10 with some to-be-announced friendlies in Japan ahead of the Volleyball Nation’s League pool play matches. The Italians are in Pool 3 alongside Poland, Turkey and the United States, with the matches to be played at the Bob Devaney Sports Center in Lincoln, Nebraska.
In September, the women will participate in the annual Montreux Masters (Sept. 4-9) before welcoming the Netherlands for a series of friendlies from the 12th to the 16 in Boario and Costa Volpi.
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